The Holy Bible: Eight Questions

The Bible can be a great read, but a lot of the Old Testament can be very heavy going. Some of it is acutally quite boring. I'm sorry to say this, but it's true. A lot of the rules and laws given to ancient Israel, as written in Leviticus, Deuteronomy and the like, is just archaic history with little relevance today. The other point about the Bible is that there are so many different interpretations you can put on each major Scripture. Nobody can say for certain which interpretation is true, and the others false. That is why there are so many Christian denominations, all believing different things. They can't even agree on whether Jesus was the Son of God, or God the Son (those two are not the same). I'm not an atheist, but I'm inclined to believe that God just wants us to do our best to help one another and create a better world, rather than arguing over the little details of Scripture. This is not to say that you can be saved by good works, but on the Day of Judgement, at least you will have something good in your life's book.

Quote: The Bible can be a great read, but a lot of the Old Testament can be very heavy going.

This depends on one's interpretation. Therefore, it may or may not be very hard going based upon the reader's understanding of the Scripture.

Quote: Some of it is acutally quite boring. I'm sorry to say this, but it's true.

No, its an opinion. Others find the entire thing fascination. That includes long lists like 1 and 2 Chronicals. Just because you find it boring doesn't mean your word is "God."

Quote: A lot of the rules and laws given to ancient Israel, as written in Leviticus, Deuteronomy and the like, is just archaic history with little relevance today.

Perhaps not literally, but there are other ways besides a literal perception that a person can use to read the Bible.

Quote: The other point about the Bible is that there are so many different interpretations you can put on each major Scripture. Nobody can say for certain which interpretation is true, and the others false.

Not really. Biblical criticism has been an extremely important tool in determining correct translations and forged passages. Archaeology, studying ancient philosophy and history, and linguistics also help tremendously in their own way.

Religion, like any science, is progressive. Since we do not have access to the actual Original Scriptures, we must continue to use newly-found discoveries whose quality is good. That is how we've come from versions like the King James Version and the Great Bible to versions like the NRSV and the NAB.

Quote: That is why there are so many Christian denominations, all believing different things. They can't even agree on whether Jesus was the Son of God, or God the Son (those two are not the same).

That is only one reason among many.

Quote: I'm not an atheist, but I'm inclined to believe that God just wants us to do our best to help one another and create a better world, rather than arguing over the little details of Scripture. This is not to say that you can be saved by good works, but on the Day of Judgement, at least you will have something good in your life's book.

You say the Bible is weakened by its many ways to interpret it; I saw it is one of the Bible's greatest strengths. So long as the interpretations can be derived logically, then they should be accepted as posibilities.